It’s highly unlikely Tigers manager Jim Leyland was asked by Red Wings officials to lend a hand in the recruiting process, but he made it known during Wednesday's pregame media session that he was quite unfamiliar with the entire situation.

“Who were they?” he asked. “They pretty good?”

Parise and Suter were regarded as the top players among a thin free-agent crop and had spent the past four days considering a handful of offers before making a decision.

“I wouldn’t know anything about that,” Leyland said. “I know a few of the Red Wings players and a few of the (Pittsburgh) Penguins players and that’s pretty much all I know about hockey.”